Rattlecan care and maintenance

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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west Texas
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Display name:
Dave Taylor
Are aerosol paint cans single-use and discard?
Have you found a way to revive them after they sit for months?

If I sit them upright, they will not spray after a while. I have also stored them sideways and upside down; no better.
I have made it a habit to invert and spray until no paint comes out, just before storage.
Even if I shake them vigorously for a lengthy time, while holding them upright, sideways or upside down, before trying them.
Upon first spray after a period of sitting, I have tried spraying while holding upside down first in order to blast particulates out of the tubing in advance of spraying paint.
I have tried storing the nozzles in lacquer thinner and MEK.
Ambient temperature does not matter.

Man on the moon, computers shrunk to 1/1000000th the old size and all that...but still problems with rattlecans.
 
The only thing I've ever done with them is the upside down spray before storing. If they don't spray I'll just grab a nozzle from something else and stick it on there. That usually works if there's any propellant left at all.
 
I don't have this problem. What brand of rattle cans are you using?

Do you remember to poke a hole in the side when they are empty to retrieve the marble / steel ball? You never know when one of those will come in handy.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
I don't have this problem. What brand of rattle cans are you using?

Do you remember to poke a hole in the side when they are empty to retrieve the marble / steel ball? You never know when one of those will come in handy.
Click to expand...

Wow.
I am cheap parsimonious.

But that is perfect, nay, inspirational.
 
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Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
I don't have this problem. What brand of rattle cans are you using?

Do you remember to poke a hole in the side when they are empty to retrieve the marble / steel ball? You never know when one of those will come in handy.
Click to expand...

I also have never had this problem - I hold the can upside down and spray it to supposedly "empty" the nozzle, and this seems to work.

I've never thought of retrieving the marble/steel ball out afterwards...genius!
 
I believe some of the newer cans spray upside down.

Lately, when I try to clear the nozzle by spraying upside down, paint just keeps coming.
 
Have never had a problem ,using the spray upside down method.
 
What is the value in these ball bearings?
Almost every can that is 'dead' has some residual pressure in it, so when you open the can to retrieve the ball, paint everywhere. Instead, I think I can buy a dozen for a dollar if I wanted them. But why would I wan them?

Ref what paint brands; almost every brand out there. Hardware store, prop epoxy, zinc chromate etc.
 
To reuse a flit can, I put a drop of oil (or better probably, grease) on the nozzle tip immediately after clearing it of paint. Of course the first bit of subsequent painting has to be dumped elsewhere as it will be contaminated.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
What is the value in these ball bearings?
Almost every can that is 'dead' has some residual pressure in it, so when you open the can to retrieve the ball, paint everywhere. Instead, I think I can buy a dozen for a dollar if I wanted them. But why would I wan them?
.
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21.191 G ;)

I actually used a bunch of them for a projects class where the students had to build a device to retrieve an object from the end of a maze.

To get them out, lay it on it's side and poke the hole on the top side with a screwdriver. No mess.
 
For some reason every can of Aero Kroil I have purchased loses the propellant charge after six or eight months. It's great stuff, works better to free up rusted fasteners than anything I know of. But it's expensive, and having several cans that just dribble out the product is a bit annoying. :rolleyes:
 
For the non paint lube/old school penetrating oil. Take a nail on the rounded part of the top and poke a hole. Use nail as a stopper to seal
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
What is the value in these ball bearings?
Almost every can that is 'dead' has some residual pressure in it, so when you open the can to retrieve the ball, paint everywhere. Instead, I think I can buy a dozen for a dollar if I wanted them. But why would I wan them?

Ref what paint brands; almost every brand out there. Hardware store, prop epoxy, zinc chromate etc.
Click to expand...

images
 
WD-40 cans bought at Costco, three in a package, are my rattlecan pet peeve. They plug up after only a portion of the can has been used. These are large cans with the flatish nozzle. It's happened several times over the years and each time I tell myself I'm going to send them one (they're local) and complain, but never have. Too lazy.

Those are the only cans I've had trouble with.
 
Aerosol cans are just cheap, and disposable. I've had all kinds fail after sitting for long periods. I empty LPS-3 cans into another container and use it from that because it's expensive and good ****.
 
3/16" Ball bearings, $0.54 "per bag".
not seeing the value in opening rattlecans!
Let's get back to the topic though. Still no reliable method of restoring plugged aerosols. I think they are plugging in the suction tube, as new nozzles on these does not help.
 
can you just re-use a nozzle from another can that wasn't clogged?

The nozzles are easy to remove and replace with your fingers.
 
Keep a back up can. I expect a used can to fail. Sometimes they do, sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. If I have a project where I can't afford a "fail", I just use a new can, because a "fail" to me is when it splurts out less than aerosol droplets and then plugs anyway mid-work and my work is ruined...ain't worth saving $5.
 
I keep expecting this thread to have information on Cessna repairs.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
Keep a back up can. I expect a used can to fail. Sometimes they do, sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. If I have a project where I can't afford a "fail", I just use a new can, because a "fail" to me is when it splurts out less than aerosol droplets and then plugs anyway mid-work and my work is ruined...ain't worth saving $5.
Click to expand...

That is good for your situation but I said;
Let'sgoflying! said:
Have you found a way to revive them after they sit for months?
Click to expand...
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Almost every can that is 'dead' has some residual pressure in it, so when you open the can to retrieve the ball, paint everywhere.
Click to expand...


Don't you people own pellet guns??

Couple of pumps of the handle, set the can on the ground a few yards away, and get to shootin!

Sheesh! ;)
 
denverpilot said:
Don't you people own pellet guns??

Couple of pumps of the handle, set the can on the ground a few yards away, and get to shootin!

Sheesh! ;)
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Personally, I prefer a large bonfire each year,, save up all the rattlecans ,or any aerosol cans... And watch them explode...

Ps.... Hard to find the marbles though...:redface::redface:
 
N801BH said:
Personally, I prefer a large bonfire each year,, save up all the rattlecans ,or any aerosol cans... And watch them explode...

Ps.... Hard to find the marbles though...:redface::redface:
Click to expand...

People used to start running when I walked up to the communal bonfire. Then wouldn't go back near it until I did.:lol: The time delay from the boom and when the can lands can be impressive, always wondered how high those things go.
 
NoHeat said:
You expect me to read the post immediately before mine before I post?

Dang, who knew that rattle-can posting was such a serious business :D.
Click to expand...

Sorry.
I seem to have been getting a lot of responses to my posts lately where it did not appear anyone was hearing anything I said. Oh, well - just like work and at home! :D
 
It is much safer to simply prick the can skin to make the tiniest hole (on the top side) with an ice pick (or similar). It can be done at a work bench and if you are careful to not drop the awl and keep it in position, it will maintain a metal-to-metal seal that will allow the contents to be very slowly dissipated. At that point the can be further opened and any liquid content can be salvaged and sprayed with a touch-up gun.

Expect the remaining liquid to be quite fizzy though until it has been exposed to atmospheric pressure for a while. A baby food jar can be used to save and seal any remainder although it may still require any remaining pressure to be slowly released again before use. It sprays very nicely with the touch up gun though.
 
Phoenix said:
People used to start running when I walked up to the communal bonfire. Then wouldn't go back near it until I did.:lol: The time delay from the boom and when the can lands can be impressive, always wondered how high those things go.
Click to expand...

Can spread the flames pretty impressively too. When I was a kid we threw a couple aerosols into a small fire in the woods, which pretty much turned into a BIG fire in the woods.
 
OK, had a dud yesterday. I replaced the spray button thing with a used one that I had stashed in the little box with the marbles / ball bearings and it worked fine.

Digging into the original spray button suggested that it was clogged with dried paint.
 
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